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If you have to use a computer at work - and more and more people have to -, it means your hand is stuck to the mouse most of the day. Now, I am using “stuck” as a metaphor, but sometimes it can really get stuck… Sweaty hands can be a real annoyance.
The Flexii USB 2.0 Cool Fan 3D Optical Mouse looks like the ordinary mouse with a long name and the same features as countless others, but it brings something new: a built-in fan. While you’re using the mouse, cool air will blow in the palm of your hand, keeping it dry and comfortable.
Yes, we have to admit: a $13 mouse can’t be hi-tech. But, as long as you’re not using it for precision work (or gaming) and it can solve a problem, it’s worth a try.
How much under $29.99?
Some: $12.99 on Vavolo.com.
Via Gizmos for Geeks
If you have a laptop and drag it around with you all day, your accessories might suffer from the constant strain. A mouse is probably the item everyone carries around, so it gets the most abuse.
If your laptop bag lacks extra pockets, you can make up for it with the Belkin Mouse Storage and Carrier. This soft case can also house and protect your other small computer items such as USB drives, PCMCIA cards, memory cards or cables, and it can be attached to your bag if it won’t fit inside. Even more, if you unzip it it turns into a mouse pad (although it probably cannot be stretched perfectly straight, so it wouln’t be a particularly good one).
If you like the idea but the pink is too much for you, rest assured: it also comes in chocolate and tourmaline, dove and tarragon and steel and burnt orange.
How much under $29.99?
A lot: $14 at Amazon: Belkin Dove And Peony Mouse Storage And Carrier.
Via bookofjoe
If you liked the circuitboard coasters, you’ll probably love the Circuitboard Mouse Mat. It’s made out of actual discarded circuitboard, which would’ve ended up in a landfill otherwise, so you might be doing a little something for the planet by buying one of these.
(Is manufacturing & shipping one of these less harmful than throwing it away? I hope so. Reusing things is a very good thing in my book, anyway.)
Becase they use real circuitboards, each mouse pad will be unique.
But there’s one thing you should be advised about: these pads are not optical mouse-friendly. If you really want to get one, you might have to dig out your old ball mouse.
How much under $29.99?
Some: ~$16 on Red5.co.uk.
Via Coolest Gadgets
Although this is supposedly sold as a device to prevent your computer from going to sleep and is aimed at computer forensics investigators and IT professionals, I think its best (and most entertaining) use is co-worker torture.
The name makes it obvious: the Mouse Jiggler jiggles your mouse. Well, not physically, but it makes the cursor move across the screen with no input. It comes in two versions: slow and fast. I suppose you can imagine what happens when Bill from Accounting finds his cursor keeps jumping from one place to another, although he’s not touching the mouse. The slow Jiggler is not impressive prank-wise, but on fast… he’ll be screaming in frustration in minutes. You just have to plug this baby in an USB port and watch.
(Or you can use it to prevent your screensaver from starting and forcing you to relogin. But that’s not as much fun.)
How much under $29.99?
Exactly $29.95 on Wiebetech.com.
A mouse is an essential device for any computer user… So why do people try to make them difficult to use?
Why would I want a Super Slim 3D USB Optical Mouse? It’s a regular mouse, except it was cut in half so it measures just under an inch in width, which sounds painful for my hand. Even laptop mice still have a normal shape (and they are not very comfortable either). The scroll wheel is on the side, and it has one button on top for back/forward navigation.
I’m sorry, but innovation is not my cup of tea if it takes away functionality. I want a comfy mouse with all the buttons where I am used to them.
How much under $29.99?
Some: $11.32 on DealExtreme.com.
Via Coolest Gadgets
Bad circulation is one of my problems, so in winter my hands are frozen half of the time when I’m working. Windows that don’t close properly, thermostat set too low, work-mates who were born in the Antarctic… all of these have made me at one time or another wish for something that could warm my hands and allow me to work at the same time.
I found one of the answers a while ago in the USB Heating Gloves., but the problem is that they’re a perfect target for office jokes. Today’s product, the USB Infra-Red Warmer Mouse, at least won’t get you funny looks.
The mouse has a infrared generator inside, and a switch turns the function on or off, allowing the surface to heat to 40-45°C (104-113°F). As for the rest, it’s a normal 800 dpi mouse with no other special features. Another novelty item, obviously, but it could come in very handy if you have issues with the cold and don’t mind a mediocre pointing device.
How much under $29.99?
A little: $22.99 on USBFever.com.
Via OhGizmo!
How would you feel to pass by your faithful employees and realize they were not, in fact, hard at work at that report, but instead they were engaged in a thrilling game of multiplayer Hearts? Not happy, I presume.
Sorry, there’s no solution for preventing this (except for deleting all games, filtering internet access etc.), but there is a way of making you at least think they’re working. A month ago we all saw the Phantom Mouse. Now we’ve got the USB Smart Privacy Mouse. The principle is the same: look busy by pushing one button.
You can choose from one of its three modes: hide current window, hide all windows and hide all windows except the ones defined by you, which I find very useful. Just make Yahoo Messenger dissapear and Excel pop up - Hey boss, this report is taking longer that I thought!, or hide that *ahem* interesting website from your mum and act like you were just writing the paper for tomorrow.
Besides, it’s cheaper and looks much better than the Japanese version.
How much under $29.99?
Some: $19.99 on USBFever.com.
Via OhGizmo!
I’m starting to this it’s a competition to invert the craziet mouse ever. A finger mouse, a mouse with speaker and microphone (?!)…
The Phantom Mouse is a little crazy, but at least it does something (sort of) useful. It’s a normal mouse in all aspects, only it has an extra button. Therein lies all its appeal: the button can be programmed so that, when you click, a certain application is brought to the front or all the windows get minimized. An anti-boss tool if there ever was one. Now you can play Solitaire all day and you’ll only need one click to make it look like you were hard at work doing that report.
How much under $29.99?
A little: $24 on Thanko.jp.
Via Coolest Gadgets
You might have a kid or just might just be messy. Either way, your mouse suffers daily: you use your greasy hands; tea or milk gets spilled on it; who knew that chocolate was right next to the mouse pad? Anyway, some of you might have realized first-hand that washing a mouse is not a good idea. Or is it?
With the Washable Mouse, it is. It features a scroll pad for scrolling both vertically and horizontally and it really is waterproof. And several other substances-proof, as the folks over at Gearlog have proved. Oarmeal, chili, pudding? No match for the Belkin washable mouse.
How much under $29.99?
Exactly $29.99 from Belkin.
Via OhGizmo!
Nowadays you can get all sorts, sizes and colors of computer mice, but you’re basically stuck to two options concerning the means to power your device: wired or wireless. Wired… nice, but I think we all hate the mess of cables under the computer desk and the “cord-too-short” syndrome. Wireless… less tangled cables, but your mouse is useless if you forget to charge it.
Apparently someone thought about a way to fix this. Called the Battery Free Wireless Mouse with Magic Pad (a bit exaggerated, if you ask me), this mouse is powered through the included mouse pad. “The mouse pad transfers instant & constant power to the mouse using Electromagnetic Induction Technology.” say the vendors (those caps make me feel like it’s saying ‘powered by Magic!’; a bit over the top with the advertisments, maybe?)
Anyhow, this looks pretty interesting. The only downside is that you won’t get rid of the cable, since the mouse pad is USB powered.
How much under $29.99?
Exactly $29.99 from SmartHome.
Via GadgetSpy
